CN113853142B - Brewing unit for producing beverages from single-serve capsules - Google Patents

Abstract

A brewing device for producing a beverage from a single pod of the type comprising: a housing formed from two sheets of plastic and/or aluminum and/or paper, the two sheets being coupled to one another to form a central body comprising infusible material; and an outer annular flange extending around and sealing the central body. The brewing device comprises: the water injection assembly and the beverage extraction assembly defining respective brewing half-chambers which are mutually movable along a longitudinal axis to move from a closed configuration, in which a brewing chamber for the pod is formed, to a closed configuration; and a pod support device rotatably mounted about a fixed axis transverse to the longitudinal axis for movement between a retaining position in which the pod support device supports the pod in a loading position between the injection assembly and the extraction assembly, and a disengaged position in which the pod support device is configured to insert and retain the pod in the brewing half chamber of the extraction assembly prior to reaching the disengaged position.

Description

Brewing unit for producing beverages from single-serve capsules

Cross-references to related applications

This patent application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. 102019000013443 filed on July 31, 2019 and European Patent Application No. 19164740.3 filed on March 22, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

technical field

The present invention relates to a brewing device for producing a beverage from a single-serve capsule containing an infusible material.

In particular, the invention can be advantageously applied to the use of capsules of the type consisting of two pieces interconnected around a quantity of infusible material (eg ground and pressed coffee) so as to define a circular central portion and a flat The housing consists of an annular flange, the circular central portion containing the infusible material, and the flat circular flange surrounding and sealing the central portion.

Background technique

Capsules of the type (also known as pods or pads) to which this disclosure makes specific reference without excluding general reference are usually conveniently heat-sealed between two sheets of filter paper or two sheets of aluminum or made of It is made by joining multiple layers of material comprising at least one layer of aluminum.

In the latter case (i.e. in the case of a pod with an aluminum shell), the stiffness associated with the material of the shell provides the capsule with a so-called self-fixing structure, which means that the body of the pod, in particular It is the flanges of the pods that are too stiff so that the pods can withstand a load without bending or deforming, which is much higher than that of a filter paper capsule.

More specifically, due to the inherent strength of aluminum and because the radial width of the flange is generally much smaller than the diameter of the central portion of the pod, it is known that the flanges of aluminum pods are sufficiently rigid that when the pod is placed in an upright No deformation when in neutral position (upright on flange).

Due to the fact that aluminum acts as a barrier to oxygen and other external media such as moisture and powders, the infusible material is protected from aroma evaporation and taste deterioration, this type of capsule itself has the advantage of being sealed and does not require storage In a protected environment, such as inside a sealed housing.

Instead, in use these sealed capsules need to be pierced to create a channel in the aluminum housing to allow infused hot pressurized water to enter through the face of the pod and to allow the beverage to flow out from the opposite face. Therefore, the brewing device must be provided with suitable piercing means, which inevitably increases the mechanical and functional complexity of the brewing device.

As is known, there are different types of brewing devices on the market which are designed to receive a single serving of pods as described above.

One of these types of brewing devices comprises a brewing device of horizontal construction, that is, a brewing device consisting of two parts mounted to move relative to each other along a horizontal axis between a spaced configuration and a coupled configuration, where The two parts are pressurized in the coupled configuration, one of them pressing against the other and defining between the two parts an infusion chamber adapted to receive a previously loaded pod.

If the brewing device of the horizontal structure is compared with other types of brewing devices, then the brewing device of this horizontal structure has several advantages, among which, in particular, the advantage of gravity can be used to move between the two parts of the brewing device. The pods are loaded with new pods by gravity, and the depleted pods are drained from the brewing chamber by gravity, especially once the beverage dispensing process is over, after the two parts of the brewing device have returned to the spaced configuration described above.

As is known in the field of coffee machines, brewing devices of horizontal construction are relatively rigid when they are intended to be used with capsules other than pods (i.e. closed by a membrane of pierceable material, usually aluminium). Cup-shaped pods consisting of a cup-shaped body) are more favored when used together. In these cases, the capsule's cup-shaped shape and relative rigidity and strength enable it to be handled relatively easily within the brewing device, substantially without the capsule body being subject to the risk of deforming so as to hinder the function of the brewing device.

The brewing device disclosed in application WO 2017/108759 A1 provides an example of such use. Further horizontally configured brewing devices are known from WO 2012/046195 A1 and WO 2010/103044 A1.

In the case of pods, the handling of pods within the brewing device is more complicated due to the material of the pod or the shape of the housing, the pod has a less structurally strong structure than a cup-shaped capsule, Thereby it is possible for the pods to easily undergo deformations which could compromise the beverage extraction process as well as exhaust the discharge of the pods.

In an attempt to overcome these problems, known pod brewing devices are often provided with technically specific expedients for holding and handling the pods. However, the applicant has experimented in practice with hitherto known solutions, which not only introduce a significant complication in the brewing device, to the detriment of the simplicity, reliability and cost-effective, and does not effectively address the problem of protecting the pods from stress that could cause them to permanently deform.

In EP 1859714 B2 a brewing device for a horizontal configuration of pods is disclosed comprising a capsule holding element adapted to receive the capsule when it is loaded and to support the capsule in a In an intermediate position between two parts, one of which is fixed and the other is movable. Holding means form the end portion of the movable part facing the fixed part and comprise suitable compartments, a first of which is closed at the bottom and occupied by the capsule when loaded, and a second compartment in the The bottom is open and occupied by the capsule when the holding means interact with the fixed part as the movable part advances. When the movable part is moved away from the fixed part together with the holding means, the capsule which now occupies the second compartment is no longer held at the bottom and falls downwards. The passage from the first compartment to the second compartment takes place by pushing the capsule in a direction perpendicular to the plane in which the flanges lie, causing deformation of the flanges. Thus, during this step, the capsule is subjected to relatively high pressures, which may in some cases lead to an undesired permanent deformation of the capsule, risking the subsequent proper progress of the beverage production step.

A solution similar to the one described above is known from FR 2998463 A1, in which the pod loading device is arranged between the stationary part and the moving part of the brewing device. When a pod is loaded into the loading device, the pod slides down until it reaches an abutment position in which it is partly supported by the loading device and partly by the moving part. During closing of the brewing device, the moving part pushes the pod axially towards the fixed part until the pod deforms and leaves the loading device, remaining sealed in the brewing chamber between the fixed and moving parts.

Contents of the invention

The object of the present invention is to improve the brewing device disclosed in WO 2017/108759 A1 such that it can also be used with a pod of the type described above, ie a pod with a central body and an annular flange.

According to the present invention there is provided a brewing device as claimed in the appended claims.

Description of drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show non-limiting embodiments of the invention, in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the inventive brewing device for producing beverages, with some parts removed for clarity;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the brewing device of Figure 1 arranged in an open configuration in which a capsule can be loaded;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 show perspective views of corresponding details of the brewing device arranged in the configuration of Figure 2 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section of the brewing device of Figure 1 arranged in a first closed intermediate configuration;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of the brewing device of Figure 1 arranged in a second closed intermediate configuration;

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of the brewing device of Figure 1 arranged in a beverage extraction closed configuration;

Figures 9 and 10 show perspective views of respective details of the brewing device arranged in the configuration of Figure 8 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 11 shows the piercing device of Figures 5 and 10;

Figure 12 is a side view of the piercing device of Figure 11;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view along line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12;

Figure 14 shows a different embodiment of the piercing device of Figures 5 and 10;

Figure 15 is a side view of the piercing device of Figure 14; and

FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view along line XVI-XVI of FIG. 15 .

Detailed ways

The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings to allow those skilled in the art to implement and use the present invention. Various modifications to the described embodiments will be immediately apparent to the skilled person, and the general principles described can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of protection of the invention as defined in the appended claims and apply. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described and shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described and claimed herein.

In Fig. 1, a brewing device for producing a beverage from a single-serve pod 2 is generally indicated at 1, the pod containing a brewable material such as coffee powder.

The pod 2 is a known type of pod comprising a shell formed from two sheets of plastic and/or aluminum or paper which are joined to each other to form a container containing a quantity of infusible material (e.g. Coffee grounds) and has a compact central body 3 roughly in the shape of a lens, and an outer annular flange 4 extending around the central body and sealing the central body 3 .

Preferably, pod 2 has a symmetrical shape with respect to a central plane containing flange 4 and with respect to axis 2A perpendicular to the central plane and passing through the center of central body 3 . Furthermore, preferably, the central body 3 and the flange 4 have a circular shape.

The brewing device 1 is known per se to be constructed to carry out an automatic brewing process, i.e. the brewing process provides injection of hot pressure from the side of the pod 2 which is previously closed water-tight in the brewing chamber. water brewing process), thereby extracting the beverage from the opposite side of the pod 2.

The brewing device 1 is configured to be connected to a source of hot pressurized water and can be integrated into a machine for producing beverages intended for use in homes and offices, as in the examples described in this description and shown in the appended claims situation, or the brewing device can be assembled in a beverage vending machine.

According to what is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the brewing device 1 comprises a frame 5 comprising two half-shells (only one of which is shown) removably assembled to each other. The brewing device 1 also comprises two functional assemblies supported by the frame 5, opposite each other and aligned along a substantially horizontal axis 6, and movable relative to each other to render the brewing device 1 open. configuration ( FIG. 1 ) and a closed configuration ( FIG. 8 ), in which the two functional assemblies are spaced apart so as to define a gap between them for loading the pod 2 , in which the two functional assemblies The components are coupled to define the aforementioned brewing chamber.

These two functional assemblies comprise an injection assembly 7, which has the function of supplying hot pressurized water to the pod 2 enclosed in the brewing chamber, and an extraction assembly, which has the function of extracting water from the pod 2. The beverage is delivered to the function of an outlet duct 9 contained in the extraction assembly 8 and which is in fluid communication with the extraction assembly by a flexible tube (not shown) having a beverage dispensing nozzle (not shown).

According to a preferred embodiment, as shown in the figures, the extraction assembly 8 is fixedly assembled on the frame 5, while the injection assembly 7 is movable between a retracted position and an advanced position due to the push of the drive mechanism 10 along the axis 6 , the retracted position corresponds to the open configuration of the brewing device 1 , and the advanced position corresponds to the closed configuration of the brewing device 1 .

The drive mechanism 10 is of the manual type and comprises a toggle mechanism 11 arranged between the injection assembly 7 and the longitudinal end of the frame 5 and comprising a crank 12 and a connecting rod 14, The crank is hinged to the frame 5 for rotation about a pin 13 which is horizontal and transverse to the axis 6 , the connecting rod is hinged at one end to the crank 12 via a pin 15 parallel to the pin 13 and at the other end to the injection assembly 7 . The drive mechanism 10 also comprises a transmission rod 16 articulated at one end to the pin 15 and at the opposite end to a drive handle 17 rotatably assembled on the frame 5 . In use, rotation of the handle 17 between the raised position (FIG. 2) and the lowered position (FIG. 8) controls the translation of the injection assembly 7 between the retracted and advanced positions via the transmission rod 16 and the toggle mechanism 11.

Between the frame 5 and the crank 12 is arranged a spring 18 which acts as a bistable spring, in other words it ensures that the handle 17 reaches and remains in the raised and lowered positions.

For this purpose, one end of the spring 18 is fixed to the frame 5 and the other end is fixed to the point on the crank 12 which is arranged above the pin 13 when the handle 17 is in the lifted position ( FIG. 2 ), so that the spring 18 The force applied to the crank 12 causes an "opening" torque, (i.e., a torque that tends to rotate the handle 17 towards the raised position), and this point is placed on the pin 13 when the handle 17 is in the lowered position ( FIG. 8 ). Below, such that the force applied by the spring 18 to the crank 12 induces a "closing" torque (ie, a torque that tends to rotate the handle 17 towards the lowered position).

According to a variant not shown, the drive mechanism 10 is not manual but automatic and comprises, for example, a rotary actuator coupled to the toggle mechanism 11 or a linear actuator coupled directly to the injection assembly 7 .

According to what is shown in FIG. 2 , the extraction assembly 8 and the injection assembly 7 delimit respective brewing halves 19 and 20 which are adapted to define each other when the brewing device 1 is in the closed position. , the brewing chamber has a shape complementary to the shape of the central body 3 and the pod 2 .

In particular, according to what is shown in FIGS. 2, 8 and shown in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 9, the brewing half-chamber 19 of the extraction assembly 8 is contained in a cup-shaped body 21 arranged With its cavity facing the injection assembly 7, and the cup-shaped body is defined by a cavity coaxial with the axis 6, the cup-shaped body is oriented towards the injection assembly 7, and the cup-shaped body has a The plane of the pod 2 is of substantially complementary shape to the half of the central body 3 of the pod 2 .

According to a preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the brewing half-chamber 19 is formed by a female insert 22 arranged at the open end of the cavity of the cup-shaped body 21 and by a preferably vertical It is bounded by a bottom surface on axis 6 and a curved annular side wall.

The extraction assembly 8 also comprises piercing means 23 adapted to pierce the pod 2 when it is closed in the brewing chamber, to allow extraction of the beverage. A piercing device 23 is supported by the female insert 22 and comprises a plurality of piercing spikes 24 protruding from the bottom surface of the female insert 22 into the injection assembly 7 . As in the case shown in the figures, the piercing spikes 24 are full pointed and may have any shape suitable for the purpose (for example like a pyramid shape). The female insert 22 also has a plurality of through holes distributed in the bottom surface between the piercing spikes 24 and adapted to convey the beverage extracted from the pod 2 to the collection chamber, This collection chamber is contained in the cup-shaped body 21 and is in fluid communication with the outlet duct 9 .

As shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and 9 , the extraction assembly finally also includes a segmented centering/extraction device 25 intended to make the pod 2 when the brewing device 1 is closed. Centering is facilitated in the brewing half-chamber 19 and is intended to facilitate separation of the spent pod 2 from the piercing device 23 when the brewing device 1 is returned to the open position at the end of the beverage dispensing step.

The segmented centering/extracting means 25 is defined by a ring 26 (Fig. 2, 6, 7, 8) and a plurality of protruding elements 27, which are elastically assembled in the cup-shaped body 21 and the female insert 22, a plurality of protruding elements are integral with the ring, these protruding elements are evenly distributed around the axis 6 and extend slidably in a direction parallel to the axis 6 through the ring contained in the female insert 22. Corresponding multiple eyelets.

The protruding elements 27 are configured to assume a normal extraction position or protruding position and a positively retracted or recessed position, in which these protruding elements extend inside the brewing half-chamber 19 such that they are formed around the piercing device 23 The ring of protruding elements 27 ( FIG. 4 ), in the forced retracted position or in the recessed position, after inserting the pod 2 into the brewing half-chamber 19 , the protruding elements 27 are pushed back towards the bottom of the cup-shaped body 21 into the corresponding eyelet so that it no longer protrudes into the brewing half-chamber 19 (FIG. 9).

When the brewing device 1 is reopened and the pods 2 are no longer under pressure from the injection assembly 7 in the chamber half 19, the protruding elements 27 elastically return to their normal extraction positions, thereby pushing the pods in the axial direction 2, thereby causing the pod to disengage from the piercing device 23 and allowing the pod to leave the piercing device.

According to Fig. 2, Fig. 8 shown and Fig. 5 and Fig. 10 show in more detail, injection assembly 7 also comprises cup-shaped main body 28, and this cup-shaped main body is arranged so that its cavity faces extraction assembly 8, and corresponding The brewing half-chamber 20 is contained in a cup-shaped body 28 , and this cup-shaped body is defined by a cavity coaxial with the axis 6 , oriented towards the extraction assembly 8 and with respect to a plane passing through the flange 4 This cup-shaped body has a shape substantially complementary to half of the central body 3 of the pod 2 .

The brewing half-chamber 20 is provided with piercing means 29 adapted to pierce the pod 2 to allow injection of hot pressurized water when the pod 2 is closed in the brewing chamber. The piercing means 29 comprise a disc 30 which is integrally coupled to the bottom of the cup-shaped body 28 and which is provided with a plurality of piercing spikes 31 protruding from the disc 30 towards the interior of the brewing half-chamber 20 which will Described in detail below.

The disc 30 has a plurality of holes 32 suitable for supplying hot pressurized water to the injection assembly 7 to enter the brewing half-chamber 20 through an inlet duct 33 .

According to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 10 , the injection assembly 7 finally also comprises annular centering/extracting means 34 intended The pod 2 is easily centered in the brewing half-chamber 20 when the brewing device 1 is closed, and is intended to keep the depleted pods 2 in contact with the pod when the brewing device 1 returns to the open position at the end of the beverage dispensing step. Wearing device 29 separation becomes easy.

The annular centering/extraction device 34 comprises an annular element 35 which is assembled between the piercing means 29 and the cup-shaped body 28 by inserting a resilient tool and which has a recess coaxial with the axis 6 towards the extraction assembly 8 . Part of the bell-shaped end 36 . The annular element 35 is movable parallel to the axis 6 between a normal extraction position in which a part of the concave bell-shaped end 36 is arranged beyond the piercing spike 31 ( FIG. In the retracted position, a part of the concave bell-shaped end 36 is pushed from the pod 2 occupying the brewing half-chamber 20 towards the bottom of the cup-shaped body 28 and is arranged around the piercing spike 31 to define a part of the brewing half-chamber 20 (Fig. 10).

When the brewing device 1 is reopened and the pod is no longer stressed in the brewing half-chamber 20, the annular centering/extraction device 34 returns to the normal extraction position under the push of the mentioned elastic means, thus Pushing the pod 2 in the axial direction causes separation of the pod 2 from the piercing device 29 and away from the piercing device.

With reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the brewing device 1 further comprises a pod support 37 arranged between the injection assembly 7 and the extraction assembly 8 and configured to receive and hold new pods. In use, a new pod 2 is fed by gravity through an insertion opening 38 formed in the frame 5 or in an outer cover supported by the frame 5 .

The pod support 37 is mounted on the frame 5 for rotation about an axis 39, which is horizontal and transverse to the axis 6, between a pod retaining position and a disengaged position in which the pod support 37 faces the injection assembly 7 and the extraction assembly 8 and is able to hold the pod 2 in the stowed position ( FIG. 2 ), in which the pod support 37 is rotated upwards about the axis 39 and no longer functions to support the pod. The pod 2 is passed to the injection assembly 7 and the extraction assembly 8 (Fig. 8).

In particular, the axis 39 is arranged above the injection assembly 7 and the extraction assembly 8 and the pod support 37 comprises two plates 40 arranged at opposite sides of the axis 6 and connected to each other by an upper beam.

The plate 40 has a corresponding groove 41 on the respective inner surface of the plate pointing from one to the other towards the axis 6, which groove is mirrored with respect to a vertical longitudinal plane passing through the axis 6, and which groove configures To engage the flange 4 of the pod 2 supplied from above through the insertion opening 38 in use.

The groove 41 has a curvature on the bottom which defines a transverse shoulder configured to hold the pod 2 in said stowed position, but which can be easily moved when the pod support 37 is rotated upwards The ground is intruded by the flange 4 itself. In this step, in fact, as will be seen later, when the pod support 37 moves towards the disengaged position and brings the pod 2 to the brewing half-chamber 19, due to the flexibility of the pod 2 the convex The rim 4 is disengaged from the pod support 37, which is slightly deformed at its major diameter, so that the pod support 37 is free to slide upwards and allows the pod 2 to remain in the brewing half-chamber 19 and brew Half room between 20.

According to what is shown in FIG. 2 , the plates 40 are arranged between the axis 39 and the extraction assembly 8 and the grooves 41 are arranged at the half chamber 19 .

In use, as will be better seen below, the pod support 37 is moved from the pod retaining position to the disengaged position by rotation about the axis 39 towards the extraction assembly 8 so that The groove 41 is defined close to the brewing half-chamber 19 .

The movement of the pod support 37 from the pod retaining position to the disengaged position can be performed by a dedicated brake or, as in the example shown in the figures, by an injection assembly 7 which, while closing the brewing device 1, is directed towards The extraction assembly 8 advances, the injection assembly intercepts the support means 37 and provides an axial thrust which determines the rotation of the pod support means 37 about the axis 39 .

When the brewing device 1 is reopened, the pod supporting means 37 moves due to its weight from the disengaged position to the pod holding position, possibly assisted by returning elastic means.

According to FIGS. 1 , 2 and 3 , in a preferred embodiment, the brewing device 1 further comprises an auxiliary pod support device 42 arranged below the pod support device 37 And is intended to cooperate with the pod support means in order to support the pod 2 from below when the pod is in the stowed position. Even considering that the auxiliary pod support 42 is optional since the pod support 37 itself can support the pod 2 in the stowed position, the auxiliary pod support 42 during the step of inserting the pod 2 The function of the device is particularly advantageous, especially in the case of pods of relatively high weight, since this auxiliary pod support means prevents the pod 2 from protruding beyond the groove 41 due to the kinetic energy generated during the free-fall movement. Slide out the pod support 37 .

The auxiliary pod support 42 comprises a bracket 43 extending transversely to the axis 6 below the pod support 37 so as to define a support for engaging the flange 4 of the pod 2 between the grooves 41 . A bracket 43 is rotatably mounted on the frame 5 to move between an operative position ( FIG. 2 ) and an inoperative position ( FIGS. 6 , 7 and 8 ), in which the bracket is able to support the pod 2 from the bottom. , in the non-operating position, the holder rotates downwards and frees the space below the pod support 37 and the brewing half-chamber 19 so as not to hinder the falling of the pods 2 when the brewing device is reopened after the extraction process .

The carriage 43 may be driven automatically by a dedicated actuator, or it may be manually driven by a rod transmission mechanism, such as in the example shown in the drawings, configured to transmit the movement of the handle 17 to the carriage 43 , such that the bracket 43 is in the operative position when the handle 17 is in the raised position, and moves towards the inoperative position once the handle 17 is rotated towards the down position.

11 , 12 and 13 show the piercing device 29 of the injection assembly 7 in detail.

In addition to what was previously stated, it will be appreciated from FIGS. 11 to 13 that the piercing spikes 31 projecting from the disc 30 have the shape of blunt ends bounded at the sides by side surfaces 44a and at the top Defined by a top surface 44b which together with side surfaces 44a define a cutting edge 44 .

According to what is shown in FIG. 13 , the top surface 44b of each piercing nail 31 is concave towards the outer piercing nail 31 itself.

Each piercing spike 31 is generally solid in shape, obtained by removing two parts from the side surfaces of a straight cone section, which are mirror images with respect to a longitudinal axis passing through the cone section And the two parts are delimited by corresponding concave surfaces 44c which preferably extend throughout the height of the piercing spike 31 .

Conveniently, the concave surface 44c of each piercing nail 31 is an intersecting surface to be created by the penetration of two cylinders or virtual cones arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the piercing nail 31 into the cone section .

Each piercing nail 31 is also associated with the aforementioned pair of holes 32 arranged symmetrically at the sides of the piercing nail 31 and each hole is delimited by one of said concave surfaces 44c.

In other words, each pair of holes 32 associated with a piercing spike 31 can be considered as a hole created by piercing a disk 30 into the aforementioned cylinder or virtual cone that penetrates into the frustoconical Pierce the nail 31. Preferably, the concave surface 44c is a conical surface whose taper is reversed relative to the taper of the frusto-conical surface, and thus the hole 32 is a tapered hole whose transverse section increases towards the top of the piercing spike 31 .

Alternatively, the shape of the top surface 44b can be considered as the result of the intersection between the piercing spike 31 and a spherical surface whose center is arranged on the same side of the piercing spike 31 relative to the disc 30 ( FIG. 13 ).

Thus, the cutting edge 44 has a generally bilobed shape defined by two convex portions separated by two symmetrical concave portions.

This configuration allows obtaining a distinctly sharp cutting edge 44, which is particularly advantageous in the case of pods 2 having a relatively strong shell material (such as aluminum and/or relatively thick aluminum and plastic sheets) of.

The top surface 44b is arranged asymmetrically with respect to the piercing nail 31 , ie the spherical cavity defined by the top surface 44b is not centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the piercing nail 31 . The top surface 44b is thus inclined relative to the axis of the piercing nail 31 and one of the plurality of raised portions of the cutting edge 44 defines the cutting tip 45 .

The concave and asymmetric shape of the top surface 44b makes it possible to obtain significant cutting power and concentration of the compressive strain of the coffee grounds on the central axis of the piercing spike 31 , partially counteracting lateral deflection due to the shape of the pod 2 .

Preferably, to increase the strength of the cutting edge 44 and to move the cutting tip 45 towards the axis of the piercing nail 31 , the top surface 44b is connected to the side surface 44a at the cutting tip 45 by a raised radial joint 46 .

The piercing spikes 31 have mutually different heights, which gradually increase in height from the center to the periphery of the disc 30, so as to provide the piercing means 29 with a concave profile almost complementary to the convex profile of the pod 2, so that The holes formed in the pod 2 by the piercing spikes 31 have as similar a depth as possible between them. Furthermore, for better uniformity of penetration, the piercing spikes 31 on the disc 30 are distributed along two concentric circles, and these piercing spikes are oriented so that all cutting tips 45 point to the center of the disc 30 ( FIG. 11 ) .

Figures 14, 15 and 16 show in detail an alternative embodiment of the piercing device 29 of the injection assembly 7 having a piercing nail 31 similar to the piercing device described with reference to Figures 11 to 13. 29 different shapes of piercing nails.

Also in this case, these piercing spikes 31 have a conical shape limited at the top by a curved top surface 44b. However, in this case, the top surface 44b of each piercing spike 31 is not concave but outwardly convex, and can be considered as the result of the intersection between the piercing spike 31 and the spherical surface, which The center of is arranged on the side opposite to the piercing nail 31 with respect to the disc 30 ( FIG. 16 ).

As in the case previously described, in this case also the top surface 44b is arranged asymmetrically with respect to the piercing nail 31, that is, the spherical cavity defined by the top surface 44b is not relative to the longitudinal axis of the piercing nail 31. centered.

Preferably, the top surface 44b joins the side surface 44a at the convex portion of the cutting edge 44 opposite the cutting tip 45 by a convex radial joint 47 having a curve different from that of the top surface 44b. Thus, in this case the top surface 44b has a generally annular profile which engages tangentially with the side surface 44a of the piercing nail 31 . The hyperbola has the function of transmitting the resultant of the compressive forces to the center of the piercing spike 31, thereby facilitating post-compression of the ground coffee.

The convoluted shape of the piercing nail 31 produced by the rotation of the inner contour makes it possible to obtain a non-linear continuous piercing and opening dynamics for the piercing nail.

In the pod 2 , this geometry makes it possible to reduce the coefficient of deformation of the membrane while increasing the penetration depth of the piercing spikes 31 . This configuration is particularly advantageous when the shell of the pod 2 is made of a relatively low-resistance material, since the piercing spike is formed at the hole to prevent tearing of the shell, while always keeping the lobes attached. catch.

As in the previous case, also in this case, each piercing spike 31 is supplemented with a pair of conical holes 32, and the piercing spikes 31 have heights different from each other, the height of the piercing spikes starting from the center of the disc 30 The taper to the periphery provides the piercing means 29 with a concave profile nearly complementary to the convex profile of the pod 2 such that the holes in the pod 2 have a substantially uniform depth.

Finally, also in this case, in order to obtain better penetration uniformity, the piercing spikes 31 on the disc 30 are distributed along two concentric circles and are oriented so that all cutting tips 45 point The center of the disc 30 (Fig. 14).

In order to accomplish what has been set forth above, it has to be noted that, according to a variant not shown, the positions of the injection assembly 7 and the extraction assembly 8 can be reversed, so that the injection assembly 7 is fixed and the extraction assembly 8 can move from and to the injection assembly 7 to the injector assembly. In this case, the pod support 37 releases the pod 2 into the chamber half 20 of the injection assembly 7 .

The function of the brewing device 1 will be described below in particular with reference to Figures 2, 6, 7 and 8, which describe the relevant steps of beverage production starting from loading the pods to dispensing the beverage.

Figure 2 - Construction of the loading pod

In this configuration, the handle 17 is in the raised position and the insertion opening 38 is exposed, so that a new pod 2 is introduced into the pod support 37 arranged in the pod support position middle.

The flange 4 of the pod 2 is slidably engaged with the groove 41 until the pod 2 stops in the loading position, in which the flange faces the brewing half-chamber 19 of the extraction assembly 8 and the pod The bar support 37 is laterally supported and located at the bottom of the frame 43 .

Preferably, the pod support means 37 are configured to hold the pod 2 in a non-centred position relative to the brewing half-chamber, ie in a position in which the axis 2A of the pod 2 is arranged on the axis 6 of the brewing device 1 below. Preferably, the groove 41 is configured to support the pod 2 such that the axis 2A of the pod 2 is substantially horizontal and parallel to the axis 6 .

The position of the pod 2 is off-centre and lower relative to the brewing half-chamber 19 , which has the function of counteracting the pods produced by the upward rotation of the pod support 37 in the subsequent step of closing the brewing device 1 . The promotion of object 2.

Conveniently, the offset between axis 2A and axis 6 of pod 2 is about 2.5 mm.

According to a different not shown embodiment, the pods 2 are kept in a position coaxial to the axis 6 and provided with counter elements to avoid lifting of the pods during their rotation in the pod support means 37 afterwards.

Finally, in the loading configuration, both the segmented centering/extraction device 25 and the annular centering/extraction device 34 are in the respective extraction positions.

Figure 6: Configuration of the first contact between the pod support and the injection assembly

When the handle 17 is moved towards its lowered position, the injection assembly 7 leaves its retracted position and moves along the axis 6 towards its advanced position.

At some point in this advancement, the injection assembly 7 contacts the pod support 37 via two side attachments of the injection assembly 7 ( FIG. 6 , detail) which are in contact with the pod support 37. Corresponding portions of the plate 40 are engaged. The injection assembly 7 approaches the support means 37 , causing the half-chamber 20 to approach the pod 2 .

In the configuration of the first contact between the pod support 37 and the injection assembly 7, the pod support 37 is still in the initial pod holding position, the auxiliary pod support 42 has been moved towards the inoperative position , and both the segmented centering/extracting device 25 and the annular centering/extracting device 34 are still in the respective extraction positions.

Figure 7: Construction for detaching the pod from the pod support

As the pod support 37 rotates upwards about the axis 39 in response to further advancement of the injection assembly 7 and in response to the subsequent thrust provided to the plate 40 by the side attachments 48, the pods 2 are lifted upwards, And while the pod 2 is inserted in the half-chamber 19 , the pod itself gradually disengages from the groove 41 as the flange 4 bends.

After a defined angle of rotation (preferably about 11°) of the pod support 37, the pod support 37 stops supporting the pod 2 inserted into the half-chamber 19 with its own axis 2A Basically coincides with the axis 6.

In this configuration, the pod 2 is substantially in the brewing position, i.e. in a position where the flange 4 is pressed between them when the injection assembly 7 terminates its stroke and is coupled with the brewing assembly to obtain Fluid-tight connection.

In this configuration, the central body 3 of the pod 2 is supported on the piercing spikes 24 of the piercing means 23 and on the protruding elements 27 of the segmented centering/extracting means 25, according to what is shown in FIG. The piercing device is in the extraction position, as is the segmented centering/extraction device.

The pods 2, once released by the pod support means 37, are still held in the brewing half-chamber 19 by the passive counteraction exerted by the injection assembly 7, in particular by the ring-shaped fixed ring arranged in its extraction position. The heart/extraction device 34 is maintained by 37.

In other words, the pod support means 37 insert the pod 2 into the brewing half-chamber 19, while the injection assembly 7 (in particular, the annular centering/extraction means 34) does not actively contribute to the insertion of the pod 2 into the brewing half-chamber 19 (that is, when the pod 2 is still held by the pod support 37, the injection assembly does not provide substantially any axial thrust to the pod), but when the pod 2 is held by the pod When the bar holder 37 is left in the brewing half-chamber 19, the injection assembly only exerts a passive reverse action.

Thus, movement of the pod 2 from the loading position to the brewing position takes place without subjecting the pod 2 to axial pressure (in particular, exerted by the injection assembly 7 ). Thus, the risk of the pod 2 undergoing significant deformation during the step of closing the brewing chamber, which could jeopardize the beverage extraction process and the expulsion of the spent pod, is eliminated or minimized.

Figure 8: Configuration for brewing and dispensing

A further movement of the handle 17 towards the lowered position determines a further rotation of the pod support 37 (preferably another 4-5°), and advancement of the injection assembly 7 causes the insertion of the pod 2 into the brewing half-chamber 20 , the retraction of the annular element 35 of the centering/extraction device 34 and the resultant penetration of the piercing spike 31 through the central body 3 of the pod 2 takes place.

When the handle 17 reaches the lowered position, the end surfaces of the injection assembly 7 and the extraction assembly 8 sandwich the flange 4 of the pod 2 between them and tightly close the brewing half-chamber 19 and the brewing chamber. The brewing chamber 20 forms and comprises the brewing chamber of the pod 2 .

It must be specified that the closing of the brewing chamber determined by the last movement of the injection assembly 7 does not substantially change the previous position of the pod 2 (in particular the position of the central body 3 of the pod 2), the pod The central body of the pod remains supported on piercing spikes 24 and protruding elements 27, while the pod is pierced by piercing spikes 31 on the opposite side.

The flange 4, pushed axially by the injection device, undergoes a slight bend towards the extraction assembly 8 and is thus pressed between the two assemblies.

Now, hot pressurized water is supplied to the brewing chamber through the inlet duct 33 .

Inhalation of the pod 2 causes expansion of the pod 2, which pushes the protruding elements 27 towards their retracted position, and the pod is pierced by the piercing spikes 24, so that the extracted beverage is released from the pod 2. Outflow, thereby flowing to the outside of the extraction assembly 8 via the outlet pipe 9 .

When dispensing is complete and the handle 17 is returned to the raised position, the injection assembly 7 leaves the extraction assembly 8 and the pod 2 falls downwards by gravity. Thanks to the segmented centering/extraction means 25 and annular centering/extraction means 34 , the pod 2 is effectively separated from the piercing means 23 and piercing means 29 .

The annular element 35 of the annular centering/extracting device 34 and the protruding element 27 of the segmented centering/extracting device 25 have the advantage of providing the pod 2 with an axial thrust along the annular portion of the pod 2 .

In particular, with regard to the configuration of the segmented centering/extraction device 25, the fact that the ring of delicate elements (such as protruding elements 27) push the pod 2 leads to the following advantages:

Unlike what a single extractor can do, the protruding element 27 makes even the Distribute the thrust force in such a way that there is no risk of damaging or even tearing the pod 2 when the coffee is drawn;

The presence of a ring of protruding elements 27 slides through corresponding holes in the bottom of the brewing half-chamber 19, making it possible to manufacture the rest of the brewing half-chamber 19 (female insert 22) in one piece, in order to fully facilitate the support of the pod The surface uniformity of object 2;

The elastic assembly of the existing eyelet and the protruding element 27 makes it possible to create an expansion area for the pod 2 in the brewing half-chamber 19 when it absorbs hot pressurized water. Thus, it is possible to conform the concave surface of the brewing half-chamber 19 to the concave surface of the brewing half-chamber, allowing relative precision in reshaping the convex shape of the pod 2 and giving the protruding elements 27 with respective eyelets The function of defining the expansion area of the pod 2, which undergoes a natural but minimal expansion when the pod 2 is injected with water;

The position of the protruding element 27 is arranged to engage the peripheral edge of the central body of the pod 2, avoiding "covering" the central area of the pod 2 from which the beverage mostly flows, and thus avoiding a reduction in the outlet flow section, which phenomenon Might happen e.g. in the case of setting up a single central extractor.

Claims (11)

1. A brewing device (1) for producing a beverage from a single-serving pod (2); Wherein the single-serving pod (2) comprises: a housing formed from two sheets of plastic and/or aluminum and/or paper which are interconnected to form a central body (3) containing infusible material; and an outer annular flange (4) extending completely around said central body and sealing said central body (3); The brewing device (1) comprises: two functional assemblies (7, 8), delimiting respective brewing halves (19, 20) and which are mutually movable along the longitudinal axis (6) between an open configuration and a closed configuration, in which In configuration, the two functional assemblies mutually delimit a space for loading said pod (2), in said closed configuration, two said brewing halves (19, 20) delimit each other for said the brewing chamber of the pod (2); one of said two functional components (7, 8) is a water injection component and the other is a beverage extraction component; and pod support means (37) rotatably mounted about a fixed axis (39) transverse to said longitudinal axis (6) for movement between a pod retaining position and a disengaged position, wherein said pod retaining position, said pod support means (37) can receive a pod (2) by itself only and support the pod (2) in said two functional assemblies in said open configuration In the loading position between (7, 8), in the disengaged position, after transferring the pod (2) to the two functional assemblies (7, 8), the pod supports the device (37) moves aside relative to said two functional assemblies (7, 8); Characterized in that the path of the pod support (37) from the pod holding position to the disengaged position during rotation of the pod support around the fixed axis (39) is designed Inserting and leaving the pod (2) in the brewing half-chamber (19, 20) of one of the two functional assemblies (7, 8) for the pod support (37) . 2. Brewing device according to claim 1, wherein one of said two functional components (7, 8) is a stationary functional component (8) and the other is a movable functional component (7), said A movable functional assembly is operable to move to and from said stationary functional assembly (8), wherein said movable functional assembly is between a retracted position and an advanced position along said longitudinal axis (6) said retracted position corresponds to said open configuration of said brewing device (1), said advanced position corresponds to said closed configuration of said brewing device (1); said pod support means (37) is arranged to insert and leave said pod (2) in said brewing half-chamber (19) of said stationary functional assembly (8). 3. Brewing device according to claim 2, wherein the functional assembly (7, 8) is arranged such that when the pod support (37) reaches the disengaged position, the movable function Assembly (7) engages said pod to retain said pod in said brewing half-chamber (19) of said stationary function assembly (8). 4. Brewing device according to claim 2, wherein said pod support means (37) moves from said pod in response to movement of said movable functional assembly (7) towards said advanced position. Movement of the retaining position to said disengaged position is caused by mechanical interference between said pod support means (37) and said movable functional assembly (7). 5. The brewing device according to claim 4, wherein, in response to the return of the brewing device (1 ) to the open configuration, movement of the pod support means (37) from the disengaged position to the The movement of the pod holding position occurs under the action of gravity and/or under the push of elastic recovery means; the path of the pod supporting means (37) from the disengaged position to the pod holding position is designed such that said pod support means (37) does not interfere with said pod (2) so that said pod (2) Falling freely downward under the action of gravity. 6. Brewing device according to claim 2, wherein said stationary functional component (8) is said extraction component and said movable functional component (7) is said injection component. 7. Brewing device according to claim 1, wherein said pod support means (37) in its pod holding position is configured to hold said pods (2) in relation to said longitudinal direction axis (6) moves downward; and the path of said pod support means (37) from said pod retaining position to said disengagement position is designed such that said pod (2 ) remains in front of the brewing half-chamber (19; 20) so that the pod support (37) lifts the pod (2) into a position coaxial with the longitudinal axis (6) . 8. Brewing device according to claim 1, wherein said pod support means (37) comprises two mutually facing grooves (41 ) arranged on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis (6) , and the two grooves are configured to slidably engage the flange (4) of the pod (2) fed by gravity from above and hold the pod (2) in the stowed position. 9. The brewing device according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary pod support (42) comprising a cross member (43) arranged in said pod is rotatably mounted below the object support means (37) and about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis (6) to rotate between an operative position and an inoperative position in which said cross member (43) Defining the support for the flange (4) of the pod (2) in said pod support means (37), in said inoperative position said cross member (43) moves aside for Free space is left below the pod support (37) so that the auxiliary pod support does not interfere with the pod when the brewing device (1) returns to the open configuration ( 2) whereabouts. 10. Brewing device according to claim 1, wherein said brewing half-chambers (19, 20) are delimited by facing cavities coaxial to said longitudinal axis (6) and opposite to the Through the plane of said flange (4), each cavity has a shape substantially complementary to one half of said central body (3) of said pod (2). 11. Brewing device according to claim 1, wherein when said pod support means (37) retains said pod (2) in one of said functional components (7; 8) In the brewing half-chamber (20; 19), the pod (2) is in the brewing position when the functional components (7, 8) are arranged in the closed The pod (2) assumes the position in the brewing chamber when in configuration.